Cole sighed as he worked on the Ford Focus ST. This model had once been his dream car, especially as it was the sporty version, but now he wanted more. His mother had made him realise that he deserved the best and the nippy little Ford he’d imagined in his future had been replaced with a Porsche or a Tesla or maybe even a Lamborghini. Why shouldn’t he drive a car like that? He was fucking entitled; he worked hard enough.
He straightened up and stretched, back aching after bending over the car for so long. Cole sighed again as he looked around the garage, which was little more than a junk yard. Only the clapped-out cars or the dodgy ones were ever brought here. He never got his hands on anything decent but he swore that one day he’d have a garage full of top-of-the-range motors. If his family’s plans worked out, then that day wasn’t very far off.
His attention was drawn by someone entering the garage. Cole watched with interest as Carly Savage walked in. He had to admit that she looked good. Since she’d started working for the Tallans she’d ditched her usual jeans, jumpers and trainers. Now she wore smart black trousers and shirts with a black jacket and boots. There was a new confidence and maturity about her that screamed here was a woman not to be messed with. It made him a little sad that she was so far from the Carly he’d loved.
The heads of his colleagues turned to watch her pass, but she paid them no attention.
‘Hello Carly,’ said Cole when she came to a halt before him.
She regarded him with her head tilted to one side before replying, ‘Hello, Cole.’
Carly was concealing her thoughts and emotions so well it was impossible for him to read her, despite how close they’d once been. ‘Can I help you?’ he said.
‘Aye, I’d like a quick word.’ The way she said it indicated he had no choice in the matter.
‘If you insist.’ He called over to one of the other two mechanics, ‘Davey, I’m taking my break.’
‘Nae bother,’ he replied.
‘This way,’ Cole told her.
Carly followed him into the office, which was a draughty Portakabin. The rickety desk was heaped with paperwork. Mugs containing dregs of cold tea were lined up on the windowsill to go mouldy.
‘Sorry about the mess,’ said Cole. ‘Take a seat,’ he added, indicating the ugly chair with the ripped orange seat.
‘I’ll stand if you don’t mind,’ she said, not wanting to touch anything in the filthy room.
‘Oh, right,’ he replied, deciding to do the same. ‘What can I help you with then? What is it?’ He frowned when she smiled knowingly.
‘So polite when only recently you were chasing me through a graveyard with a knife.’
His gaze grew cold. ‘And if you remember, I didn’t stab you. In fact, I kissed you.’
If the memory meant anything to Carly, she didn’t show it. Cole controlled his annoyance. She’d matured and he should show that he’d done the same.
‘Your family’s been really quiet since that happened,’ she said, slowly walking around the small room, studying items as she passed them by. ‘So we’re curious why you’ve suddenly decided to start causing trouble now.’
‘Trouble?’ He frowned again. ‘Are you talking about when we went into the pub?’
‘That’s part of it. Why were you there?’
‘To get a drink,’ he replied as though she were simple.
‘You’re lying.’ She cocked her head to one side in a way that said she could see right into his soul. ‘Or don’t you know? Are your older brothers keeping you out of it because you’re the baby of the family?’
The mocking in her tone annoyed him but he swallowed down his anger. However, he wasn’t controlled enough to stop it from showing in his eyes. ‘Now it’s my turn to ask the questions – why are you here? You’re worried about something, aren’t you?’
‘The only thing that worries me is your family being humiliated again. If you are planning something, I seriously recommend you think again.’
‘What’s happened to make you think me and my family are plotting against you? It can’t just be that time me and my brothers went into the pub.’
‘Why were you near my home the same night?’
‘Aye.’ He smirked. ‘I saw the way you all ran off. Scared, were you?’
‘Oh yes,’ she replied flatly. ‘Me, Jane and our mega hard cousins were all feared of you taking down all four of us on your own. We ran off because we were worried about Rose and Da’. So I repeat, what were you doing there?’
‘Just taking a stroll,’ he replied with a casual shrug. ‘It’s a free country. Your family might be dominant around here, for now, but that doesnae mean you can dictate where people go.’
‘Not yet,’ she replied with her own smirk.
Cole moved so he was standing right before her and gazed into her eyes. ‘Aren’t you going to tell me what’s really going on? Is it not working out with the Tallans like you thought it would?’
‘It’s nothing to do with them.’
‘You’re lying to me again, Carly. There was a time when we had no secrets from each other.’
‘That was before you went to prison and came out a different person. Your mother really did call the polis on you the night of the burglary. She admitted it to me herself. Why won’t you believe me?’
‘Because I know my maw would never do something like that. Stop trying to come between me and my family because it won’t work. We’re too tight. So, you’re no’ gonnae tell me what’s going on then?’
‘Nothing’s going on,’ she said coldly. ‘How many times must I repeat myself?’
He reached out to touch her face but she slapped his hand away. Cole’s laugh was mocking and he was satisfied when he finally saw anger flash in her eyes. Not such an ice princess after all.
‘Do your family know you’re here?’ he asked her.
‘Course they do.’
‘They must be desperate if they’d send you into the lion’s den alone.’
‘Lion’s den?’ She laughed. ‘I hate to break it to you, but three grease monkeys are hardly threatening.’
‘Don’t call me a fucking grease monkey,’ he hissed. ‘I’m far more than that.’
‘Oh aye, I forgot. You’re part of a pack of losers too.’
‘You cheeky bitch,’ he spat. ‘You never used to be like this. It’s your cousins, they’re a bad influence, especially Dean.’
‘Still jealous, are you? Pathetic. Go on,’ she added when his hands balled into fists. ‘Hit me. You can try anyway.’
He thrust his face into hers, so their lips were just inches apart.
‘I know all about the taser and baton you carry,’ he said. ‘Don’t think they’ll help you here.’
‘Three men on one woman. How tough,’ she said sarcastically.
‘You’re hardly a damsel in distress, are you?’
‘True. I’ll batter the shite out of the lot of you.’
‘I always did like your spirit. I hope your new life doesn’t kill it.’
‘Is that some sort of threat?’
He leaned in to whisper in her ear. ‘You’ll just have to wait and see.’
Carly took a step back from him. She had expected being so close to Cole would set her heart pounding but he no longer had the same effect on her and that was because he’d betrayed and used her. She’d never forget the way he’d looked at her when he’d set her up for his brothers to kidnap. If it hadn’t been for Dean and Harry, they would have been successful. That pain had changed her feelings for him forever.
‘I will find out what you’re up to,’ she told him. ‘And when I do, me and my family will make you regret it.’
She turned on her heel and stalked to the door.
‘I didn’t say you could leave,’ called Cole.
‘I don’t need your permission,’ she called back before pulling open the door and exiting the office.
Carly came to a halt when she saw the door into the garage had been closed and the two mechanics were standing before it holding wrenches. Ross and Dominic were also with them.
She reached inside her jacket and pulled out the small baton she kept there. Unfortunately, she’d left the taser at home, not wanting to be caught walking the streets with it.
Carly’s gaze was mocking as it settled on Ross, even though she was starting to feel a little nervous. ‘I suppose it’s understandable you’ve come mobhanded, especially after what my wee sister did to you.’
Ross glared at the younger of the two mechanics when he sniggered.
Cole casually exited the office behind her. ‘We had the feeling that at least one of your lot would come calling,’ he told Carly. ‘Thinking they can throw their weight about because they work for the Tallans. So I told them to call my brothers if that ever happened,’ he added, nodding at the mechanics.
‘Oh, I see,’ she retorted. ‘They’re your wee pets.’
‘They work for us. They can see we’re on the rise and your reign around here is only temporary.’
‘How can they possibly think that after you were embarrassingly defeated only six months ago?’
Ross snatched up a piece of piping and slammed it against the wall. ‘I’m gonnae break your jaw,’ he thundered. ‘That’ll stop that big fucking mouth of yours.’
‘Your threats don’t scare me, especially after I saw you greetin’ like a wean in A & E after having your tiny testicles twisted.’
Ross’s eyes blazed with anger. ‘That’s it, you bitch.’
They all looked round when there was a thud on the other side of the closed garage door. There was another thud before it burst open and Jane, Jennifer and the rest of the Bitches marched inside carrying tyre irons, baseball bats and crowbars. The room wasn’t big enough to accommodate them all, so half the Bitches waited outside, crowding in the doorway to watch the proceedings while the rest followed their leader inside.
The two mechanics put down the wrenches and took a few steps back, hoping the women wouldn’t notice them.
‘Need a hand, Carly?’ Jane asked her.
‘Aye, I do,’ she replied. ‘These cowardly shites were gonnae attack me.’
‘I wouldn’t expect anything less from these pathetic excuses for men,’ replied Jane, lip curling with disgust.
‘Who the hell do you think you’re talking about?’ demanded Dominic.
Jennifer slammed the crowbar she held against the wall beside him, making him jump.
‘Shut the fuck up,’ she bellowed at Dominic, pointing the crowbar at him.
The tension in the room grew as the men realised these women were perfectly capable of battering the hell out of them.
‘You don’t look so cocky all of a sudden,’ Carly told Cole.
‘I wouldn’t say that,’ he replied. ‘I have something none of you do.’
He reached around the back of his jeans, drew a gun and aimed it at her.
Jane’s face turned white when she saw a pistol being pointed at her sister’s chest. ‘Where the fuck did you get that?’ she demanded of Cole.
‘I’ve come a long way from the boy you used to know,’ he replied, gaze and hand steady. ‘I don’t want to shoot you, Carly, but I will if anyone lays a hand on my brothers.’
‘You dare and I will fucking kill you,’ roared Jane, her cheeks flaming crimson with rage.
‘Just calm yer jets, you,’ Ross told her.
Jane rounded on him, looking so furious he took a step back.
‘I’ll fucking do you too,’ she yelled at him.
‘It’s all right, Jane,’ said Carly, her gaze locked on Cole. ‘We’re leaving now anyway. This meeting was very informative.’
Carly was satisfied when Cole’s gaze flickered. Now he’d worry that he’d inadvertently given something away.
The men didn’t interfere as the women backed out of the garage, Carly not daring to turn her back on Cole and his gun until she was outside on the pavement and the garage door had been closed behind them.
‘Jesus, that was intense,’ said Jennifer as the women hurried down the street in a pack.
‘Where the hell did he get that gun from?’ exclaimed Carly.
‘That’s something I’d like to know too,’ growled Jane, jaw set. She’d never forget the sight of Cole pointing a gun at her sister and swore that one day she would make him suffer for it.
Sensing her tension, Carly gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
‘Thanks, girls,’ she called to the Bitches. ‘I owe you all a drink.’ She smiled when the women let up a cheer.
‘That won’t be a cheap round,’ commented Jennifer. ‘Hey, isn’t that your hunky cousins at the top of the street?’
The women all looked to see Dean and Harry striding towards them.
‘What are you doing here?’ demanded Carly when they met in the middle of the street. ‘You were supposed to wait back at the flat.’
‘We couldnae just hang around doing nothing,’ replied Harry. ‘It was doing our nuts in.’ He looked past his cousins to the Bitches. ‘Hello, ladies,’ he said, giving them his best smile.
Dean paid them no attention, solely concerned with Carly. ‘What happened?’
‘Cole pulled a gun on me.’
His entire body went rigid, hands snapping into fists, jaw tensing.
‘I’ll kill him,’ he hissed.
‘Don’t,’ exclaimed Carly when he moved to rush towards the garage. ‘It’s been dealt with.’
‘How? I hope the twat’s in a pine box.’
‘No, of course not but he knows when to back off.’
‘Pricks with guns never know when to back off.’
‘If you charge in there, you’ll only get shot.’
Jane thanked the Bitches for their support and sent them on their way.
‘I can’t believe that wee dick has a gun,’ said Harry as the four of them continued their journey alone. ‘Where did he get it from?’
‘That’s what I’d like to know,’ said Carly. ‘Maybe someone he met in prison with the right contacts on the outside?’
‘Could be. We can look into that.’
‘Was there anyone he was in prison with who could be out now and strong enough to challenge the Tallans?’ said Jane.
‘Hey, now that’s an idea,’ said Harry. He glanced at his brother, who nodded in agreement.
Dean was only just managing to keep his mind on the conversation because he was so furious about Cole pulling a gun on Carly. How could he do that to a woman he’d once professed to love?
‘I’ve still got a couple of pals in Bar-L,’ continued Harry. ‘I’ll see what I can find out.’